Chennai, Aug 8 (IANS): The district administration in Tamil Nadu's Erode has asked people living on the banks of river Bhavani to be on alert as surplus water in Bhavanisagar reservoir is discharged as heavy rains in catchment areas have led to an increase in water flow into it.

On Monday morning, the discharge of water from the reservoir was 12,500 cusecs but by the afternoon it has increased to 20,000 cusecs and hence the district administration issued an advisory.

Water Resources Department officials told IANS that 540 mm rainfall was recorded in areas where water flows into river Bhavani while 587 mm rainfall was recorded in areas that contribute to river Moyar.

The Bhavanisagar reservoir is fed by these two rivers and hence the increase in water flow to the reservoir.

People who are living along the banks of the Bhavani were directed not to take bath in the river and not to wash clothes. The district administration has directed people not to enter the river to give bath their cattle.

Tamil Nadu is getting heavy rains from the southwest monsoon and several families were shifted to relief camps in the past two days when Bhavanisagar reservoir was opened. Huge areas of crops were inundated in water along the belt of River Bhavani and farmers have already reported crop loss and applied for compensation from the state government.

Kuruva paddy crops and banana crops were submerged in water for the past three days and according to farmers, this would mostly lead to total loss of the produce.

With rains continuing in the catchment areas of Bhavanisagar as well as Mettur reservoir, there are possibilities of more water to be released from these reservoirs leading to an increase in water level in the rivers.